Teacher Professional Development

County-wide Teacher Institute Day
Blast from the Past: Witness Trees of Illinois

Discover the special place witness trees have in the history of Illinois. Used by surveyors in the early 1800s, witness, or “bearing” trees, were sought out as landmarks for creating the earliest state land surveys and plat maps. Some of these trees are still standing today and can be used as a lens to bridge the gap between science and social studies, as well as connect us to our past. Join educators at St. James Farm in Warrenville where science and history converge. Through a variety of activities, learn the role these trees played in the urbanization of Illinois, why they are still important today, and how oak trees are critical to local ecosystems. Then complete a STEM-based learning project to catalog potential witness trees. Take ideas back to the classroom to get your students engaged in similar data collection projects at school. Major portions of this program will be outdoors, and participants should dress for the weather. Registration is free.

March 3
Friday
St. James Farm in Warrenville

County-wide Teacher Institute Day
From Farm to Forest 

Farming is intimately tied to nature but is very demanding on the landscape. Through the lens of conservation and hands-on activities, investigate the positive and negative impacts that humans have had on the landscape and discover how preservation, conservation and restoration cultivate biodiversity. Participants will learn instructional strategies and build on natural history and heritage content knowledge to supplement classroom curriculum. The activities conducted in this training can be reproduced and applied directly to classroom settings.

March 3
Friday
Kline Creek Farm in West Chicago